Often at Christmas time you might be involved in a gift exchange. These times of exchanging gifts may be known by various names, but the concept is a simple way to get everyone in a group involved giving and receiving a gift. Most of the time there is a price limit that is placed on the gifts that are purchased. This limitation gives some structure and balance to the giving and receiving. By following this simple rule everyone is able to participate on an equal level. However, I have been involved in several gift exchanges where you could not spend any money on the gift to be given. That means that you must make something or give something that you already have. Some of those gifts were creative and useful, but I do remember one gift that was a rock. Everyone laughed, but it was completely useless as a gift. In Luke 1:26-38 Mary responds positively by giving herself to be used by God to deliver Jesus the Savior into this world who would in turn be her deliverer from sin. The emphasis of this passage is on God’s enabling work of grace through a servant wholly devoted to Him to bring His message of salvation through His Son, Jesus, to the whole world. The emphasis on our lives today should be no different. In a way, like Mary, God transforms us by His grace and enables us to bring the message of Jesus to the whole world. Our role is to be a servant wholly devoted to God’s position of Master in our lives as He carries out His purpose through our lives. His power in our lives makes the seemingly impossible possible out of our lives. God just wants us to give ourselves fully to Him so He can display His grace through us.
For more see CHRISTMAS